Practitioners' boredom : deadly sin or fundamental mood? : an interpretative phenomenological exploration of the experience

• Main Author: Fahmy, Rana A.
• Other Authors: Tapini, Elisavet
• Published: Regent's University London 2017
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.729391

This study explores therapeutic practitioners’ subjective experience of boredom in the therapeutic encounter. In examining boredom’s polarities, it becomes clear that boredom has been seen by some as a negative emotion and by others, as an experience essential for us to come closer to our being. Since it is assumed that practitioners may experience boredom during sessions, it is important to examine it, so as to come to a closer understanding of the experience itself. The method used in this study is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Eight qualified therapeutic practitioners offered their experience of boredom. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The analysis was idiographic and aimed to describe and interpret the data. Five master themes emerged: Response to Boredom; The Purpose and Value in Therapy; Boredom as a Signal; Fear and Virtue in Boredom; and Managing Boredom. Through the course of my research project, the following findings emerged: 1) Boredom can mask other feelings, and in unpacking its presence the phenomenon becomes hard to identify; 2) Practitioners have a need for stimulation that may impact their ethical and professional standards; 3) At times boredom can occur with engagement; 4) Unprocessed boredom can create a barrier in the therapeutic relationship and it is valuable to delve into it. As a result of these findings, I have three main recommendations for the field: Firstly, for boredom to be normalised among practitioners, so as to encourage openness and hence a clearer understanding of what is behind the occurrence of boredom; and secondly, for practitioners to re-evaluate the need for stimulation over consistency in order to examine how practitioners can stay with and be curious about the boredom experienced during sessions. Thirdly, I also suggest that further research be conducted to examine boredom’s ability to mask other feelings.